Illinois
Illinois school worker Vera Liddell gets 9-years for $1.5 million chicken wing heist
What a clucking shame.
An Illinois school worker will spend the next nine years in prison after she stole 11,000 cases of chicken wings worth $1.5 million that were meant for students during the height of the COVID pandemic, prosecutors said.
Vera Liddell used her position as the food service director at Harvey School District 152 to carry out the unappetizing crime that was only unearthed after the district realized the school system blew past its budget, prosecutors reportedly said.
Liddell, 68, started the scheme in July 2020 and didn’t stop until February 2022, the Cook County State Attorney’s Office said, according to ABC 7 Chicago.
While she bought up the incredible amount of poultry and used a school cargo van to pick up the food, students never saw a single wing, prosecutors said, per WGN.
Schools were closed, but the district near Chicago was still sending out meal kits to students in remote learning during the height of the pandemic.
She was originally charged with theft and operating a criminal enterprise in January 2023.
Liddell, who was food service head for ten years at the district, took a guilty plea in the case before she received the 9-year prison sentence, WGN reported.
A school business manager found food costs were $300,000 over budget even though there were still months left to the school year during a routine audit that led to Liddell’s arrest.
Illinois
Woman facing charges 5 years after infant’s remains found in north suburbs, police say
RIVERWOODS, Ill. (WLS) — A woman is facing charges five years after the discovery of a dead newborn in the north suburbs.
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Riverwoods, Illinois police say Natalie Schram gave birth to the baby in May 2020 and then dumped the baby’s body in a wooded area in the 1800 block of Robinwood Lane.
Schram was arrested earlier this month in Washington State and has now bee charged in connection to the crime, police said.
SEE ALSO | 2 charged after infant’s remains found buried at Wilmington home, Will County sheriff says
The suspect is expected to appear in a Lake County, Illinois courtroom on Thursday.
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Illinois
Catching up with Illinois State after huge playoff upset victory
Illinois State Redbirds pulled off the comeback of the year and maybe all-time this past Saturday.
ISU, who were 23-point underdogs, rallied from 14 points down with three minutes to go to knock off No. 1-ranked and defending champion North Dakota State in the Football Championship Subdivision playoffs in Fargo, North Dakota.
Quarterback Tommy Rittenhouse overcame five interceptions to engineer the huge 29-28 upset.
Head coach Brock Spack and Arlington Heights receiver Dan Sobkowicz, who caught the game-winning touchdown, discussed the team’s spirit following the win.
“I had 142 texts, and so, I answered every single one of em, how about that. Either with a fist bump or thumbs up or ‘thank you very much,’ I answered every one,” Spack said. “Our players persevered, and they never lost. You can tell this is a different vibe. They just never lost confidence that they were going to win. To have five turnovers, and to be able to survive that and win, and beat these guys like that is amazing.”
“Obviously, it was a really good scrambler,” Sobkowicz said. “Just kinda wanted to make something happen, I mean, he found me, and, uh, obviously, I didn’t really think much of it, honestly, at that play right after, but words can’t really explain how much that meant. I think it’s just a cool moment that I’m probably never going to forget.”
The Redbirds will play UC-Davis Saturday in the FCS quarterfinals.
Illinois
Pritzker signs new Illinois law seeking to limit immigration enforcement at schools, daycares
Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker has officially signed into a law a bill that would seek to limit immigration enforcement at colleges, daycares, courthouses and more.
Under provisions of HB 1312, which was signed into law Tuesday, enhanced protections are expected to be put into place on those institutions, as well as at hospitals and other entities.
Pritzker signed the bill after “Operation: Midway Blitz” resulted in more than 3,000 arrests around the Chicago area this year, with more immigration enforcement expected as the Trump administration continues to step up its efforts.
“Dropping your kid off at day care, going to the doctor, or attending your classes should not be a life-altering task,” Pritzker said at the bill signing ceremony. “Illinois, in the face of cruelty and intimidation, has chosen solidarity and support.”
One piece of the bill prohibits schools from threatening to disclose the citizenship or immigration status of any employee, student or contractor without consent.
Schools will also be required to provide information on their websites about who employees and students should speak to if an immigration enforcement agent attempts to enter a school campus or engages in “nonconsensual interactions with members of the school community,” according to the text of the bill.
“Education allows our communities to progress and build a better life – an essential part of the American dream. Pursing an education is a right that should not be threatened by armed, masked federal agents on our college campuses,” said State Sen. Karina Villa in a statement. “Many immigrant parents dream of the day their child graduates from college. That goal is what makes all of their sacrifices and labor worth it. In Illinois, we will defend that dream.”
Campus communities will also be notified when immigration enforcement activity occurs on campus, according to Sen. Villa’s office.
The bill also creates a “Court Access, Safety and Participation Act,” which aims to protect residents from civil arrest if they are attending a state court proceeding, or if they are going to or returning from such a proceeding. That includes if a party is a plaintiff or defendant in a case, or if they are a witness or accompanying a participant in the proceeding.
The bill permits individuals to seek civil damages against anyone violating that provision of the law.
Hospitals under the act will be required to adopt and implement policies regarding interactions between law enforcement agents and patients, and will be required to post those policies on their websites.
Immigration enforcement agents will also be required to present valid identification and signed judicial warrants to access licensed daycare centers under provisions of the act, according to officials.
Finally, the bill allows residents to file lawsuits against immigration enforcement agents who violate the state or U.S. Constitutions, according to the text of the legislation.
The bill takes immediate effect in the state of Illinois.
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